This application claims the priority of German Patent Application Serial No. 200 03 563.0, filed Feb. 26, 2000, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates, in general, to a sliding structure.
In general, a sliding structure involved here includes a frame and at least one sliding sash configured for displacement in upper and lower guides of the frame and lockable in several positions in the frame. Such sliding structures are typically used as glass fronts of balconies or walls in a building.
Sliding structures are known having several sliding panels or sashes mounted in a frame for sliding in horizontal direction. Individual sashes can hereby shift from a side-by-side disposition in which they form a sealed glass front to a position in which they are located behind one another so as to provide an opening to allow ventilation or cleaning. The sashes may be arranged either in a single plane in which case the sashes have to be moved out of the plane for positioning behind one another, or in several planes in which case the movement into a position behind one another can be carried out in a simple manner.
Apart from sliding-type sashes, different types of sashes are known for use, for example, pivoting sashes, pivoting and tilting sashes, tilting sashes or tilting and swinging sashes. It is also possible to provide several sash areas with more than one panels and/or more than one fixed panel.
Conventional sliding structures suffer shortcomings because opening and closing of individual sliding sashes, e.g. for cleaning and ventilating, is fairly complicated and securement of the sliding sashes is unsatisfactory. By means of an actuating mechanism, a locking pin is normally moved from a pocket on the neighboring sash, or to the upper or lower side of the frame in order to move the sash. A turning of the sash requires then another actuating mechanism to engage a locking pin at the top and subsequently a locking pin at the bottom of the sash in respective latching receptacles in the frame to thereby secure the sash in the frame. Thereafter, upper and lower sliding bars on a side opposite to the locking bars are then sequentially withdrawn in a further step out of the frame. In this position, the sash can be pivoted about the locking bars. Thus, a conversion from the sliding position into a pivoting position of the sash requires separate manipulation of four individual bars.
The movement of the actuating mechanisms separate from one another is cumbersome for the user and risky because a detachment of the guide in the frame by one actuating mechanism without simultaneous securement of the sash by a further actuating mechanism may result in a disengagement of the sash from the frame. Moreover, the various actuating mechanisms are disposed far apart from one another when high sliding sashes are involved, rendering an opening of the sash nearly impossible for a single person.
It would thus be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved sliding structure, obviating prior art shortcomings and having sashes which are supported for at least partial displacement and configured to allow a simple and secure opening and closing thereof, while yet being simple in structure and cost-efficient to fabricate.
The present invention provides for a sliding structure, which includes a frame, at least one sliding sash received in the frame and having upper and lower locking bars, and an actuating mechanism for moving the upper and lower locking bars of the sliding sash in opposite directions, to thereby allow attachment of the sliding sash to the frame at several positions.
By configuring the sliding sash in accordance with the present invention, a single actuating mechanism can be used to implement a release of the locking bars and thereby allow a shift, and a locking for allowing a pivoting or closing of the sash. Operation of the sash is thus easy to handle and can be realized with one hand. Incorrect operation is avoided because the locking bars engage upper and lower receptacles at a same time so that a tilting of the sash as a result of unilateral securement is prevented.
According to another feature of the present invention, the upper and lower locking bars are movable by the actuating mechanism between an extended position in which the locking bars engage the sash and lock them in place, and a retracted position in which the sash can be slid. Suitably, the frame includes spaced-apart points of attachment for engagement by a locking bar, thereby ensuring a particularly stable securement of the sash. As an alternative, it may also be possible to use the actuating mechanism for movement of clamping members to effect a infinitely variable securement of the sash in the frame.
According to another feature of the present invention, the sliding sash includes sliding bars for guiding the sash in the upper and lower guides of the frame, wherein a safety mechanism is provided for preventing an inadvertent withdrawal of the sliding bars from the frame when the locking bars are disengaged from the locking position.
By providing the sash with upper and lower sliding bars which are guided in the frame, when extended, and detachable from the frame, when retracted, the sash can be guided securely at four locations in the frame and can be pivoted out of the frame after disengagement of the sliding bars. Pivoting of the sash can be executed in a simple manner when moving the sliding bars by an actuating mechanism in opposite directions. Of course, it is possible to move the locking bars and the sliding bars by a single actuating mechanism. In this case, it may be suitable to mount corner angles to the sash to realize an absolute security against inadvertent detachment of a sash.
In the description, the term xe2x80x9csliding barxe2x80x9d denotes any type pf sliding hardware, e.g., rollers which may be located beneath the sashes so that the weight force is applied upon the rollers. It is also possible to provide the sashes in hung configuration, with the sashes suspended from the upper edge of the frame. Another option includes the incorporation of sliding panels which are supported securely on sliding tracks for displacement along the track. In this case, further guide elements are provided to conduct the sashes in the given tracks.
According to another feature of the present invention, the sliding structure has two such sashes which include at their confronting sides the upper and lower locking bars and at their sides facing away the upper and lower sliding bars. The assembly is simplified to slidingly guide the sashes in a slot formed in the frame.
To safeguard against burglary, one of the sashes may include a closure piece which can be moved by the actuating mechanism into a pocket of the neighboring sash so as to interlock both sashes to form a unitary assembly. In this way, it becomes much more difficult to pry open the sashes by a crowbar or like tool.
Suitably, both sashes may be movably retained in the frame. Of course, it is conceivable to support three or more such sashes in the frame.